Education is the Solution ... Or is It?

Bill Gates. Albert Einstein. Manny Pacquiao. I am sure these personalities hint most of you. It would be a crime if you do not, given that they are very smoking famous. However, more than just a namedropper, I would just like to point out these people's similarities with each other, apart from the obvious fact that they are, well, famous and successful in their respective fields. To start with, one of them is a high school dropout. Another was home-schooled and yet another one was not just able to finish his studies. Different strokes for different folks, but all bottled up to one same thing - education, apparently, did not contribute much to their success.

On this note, would you not agree that education might not be the solution as it promises to be? It is not for all of us anyway.

Why then is education so important, if this is the case. Why do parents struggle sweat and blood (not to mention having to go through series of painful loans) just to send their children to school? Why it is that one of the top priorities among other needs focus to education? Why do we even have to go through the pain of getting up each morning when we would rather curl back in a ball, enjoy the warmth of our bed than sit, and stare for hours and hours inside a classroom?

Education must really be very important then. I would like to share John Dewey's notion on education in his pedagogic creed, and it goes like this:

"I believe that education is the fundamental methods of social progress and reform. All reforms, which rest simply upon law or the threatening of certain penalties or upon changes in mechanical or outward arrangements, are transitory and futile. However, through education society can formulate its purpose. It can organize its own means and resources, can shape itself with definiteness, and can grow economy in the direction it wishes to move. Education, thus, conceived the most perfect and intimate union of science and art conceivable in human experience".

Very particularly said, was not it? I find myself totally agreeing with the creed's implications because I can only believe that education is the transition of civilization. We must constantly relate our past with our present and future for us to discover the need for change. How else would we know the difference if we do not know everything, and if we do not understand and know better? I say education matters. In addition, it means more when aimed towards knowledge of values. Education can only give knowledge or put people in the right path, but the final forming of a person's character lies in his or her own hands. We can be Bill Gates, Albert Einstein, Manny Pacquiao or anybody we like. However, would not it be much better to realize our dreams and just be ourselves?

"Give a man a fish, and he will eat for a day yet teach a man how to fish and he will eat for the rest of his life." this is the motto I hear when I come to hear the word education. They say it is the key to the brighter future. Don't you agree? Well, I think it is so. We can be able to achieve our goals and dreams in life. It is our right as individuals to be educated, because we, human, can communicate with each other. We can be informed of what is happening in our society or in different countries across the world. Without education, we would not be able to grasp our ambitions, because I believe that education is a gift that will guide us in our life and future. Unfortunately, not every one of us is lucky to be able to go to school. The reasons may vary, maybe because there is a financial problem or because they do not want to.

It is up to us to study. I know it can be hard sometimes but we should not take it for granted. It is for our own benefit that in the future we can be able to make a difference in the community and help our economy. In my opinion, I have never regretted the decision of my family sending us to a catholic university because not only did I learn so many things about my profession that I have now - as a registered nurse - but also I am able to improve myself in a mental, social, emotional, and spiritual aspects. I know I could be successful by the inspiration given by my family.

Therefore, I do believe that education is indeed the solution.